The Worshipful Company of Launderers

History

The Company of Launderers owes its existence to a group of men who met on a sticky humid day at the height of summer at a meeting room which had been double booked and the distinguished guest speaker failing to appear!

The meeting took place in 1957 and in 1960 the Company of Launderers was formally constituted. In 1963 a charitable and education trust was formed which aims to gives scholarships for the further education of people pursing studies of benefit to the laundry industry.

The Company acquired both its Coat of Arms and Mace in 1964. The Mace is carved in the form of a washing dolly and this also appears on the Coat of Arms. In addition, the Company adopted a march based on two traditional tunes associated with the Laundry Industry, ‘ The Irish Washerwoman' and ‘Dashing away with the smoothing iron'

In 1965 the Company established an Apprenticeship Scheme that aimed to encourage the entry of young people into the industry.

The company applied for formal recognition by the City of London in 1973 and this was approved in 1974. The Company received livery status in March 1978 becoming the 89^th Livery Company

The Company is a shareholder in Glaziers Hall or Launderers Hall as we prefer to call it. All liverymen are connected with the industry.

From the outset the Company has set out to develop educational and charitable links and provides an annual award to the outstanding student on the Diploma in Dry- Cleaning and Laundry Technology course at Derby Lonsdale College of Art and Technology. The Company has endowed a berth on the Winston Churchill and, since 1979, has run a stall at the Lord Mayor's Red Cross Market which has become one of the event's most popular and leading money raiser for the City of London Red Cross.

In 1998 formalised its association with The Laundry Squadron of the Royal Logistic Corps. Past Master Mellvvn Rogers acts as Liaison Representative and the Master and other Livery Members are in frequent contact with the Squadron. The Company presents a Silver Medal each year to the ‘Best Soldier' in the squadron which is normally presented at the Ladies Night Banquet of the Company.